274 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



backwards in rows exist in various parts of the body. A supraorbital row of them extends from 

 the anterior margin of the orbit round its upper edge to above the spiracle : a second extends 

 from a central point between the termination of the last two and proceeds along the back to the 

 base of the first dorsal, the spines on it being much further apart than in the other lines : from 

 slightly behind the commencement of the dorsal line of spines is a short diverging row on either 

 side ; also a row on the shoulder : and two or three spines on the scapular. 



The lateral keel commences a little above the termination of the ventrals. 



Colours— The immature are dull grey above, whitish — sometimes tinged reddish — beneath, 

 with a dark or black band on the upper eyelid and a dark spot on either side of the snout. Also 

 there is usually, but not invariably, a black spot at the root of the pectoral. The body is spotted 

 with whitish, or light grey. Iris golden : pupils transverse. The adult is of a dull grey above 

 and lighter on the abdomen. 



Its flesh is considered nourishing whether eaten salted or fresh, and oil from its liver is 

 much esteemed. It grows to five feet in length. 



Habitat — Red Sea, Seas of India and Malaysia. 



Group RHINOBATIDES. 

 Genus RHINOBATUS, Bl. Schn. 



Snout more or less acute : the skull prolonged anteriorly into a keel, the interval between which and 

 the inner margin of the pectoral fin is membraneous. The upper nasal valve is longer and more 

 slender than the inner, which is shorter and broader : the outer lappet, which is nearly in the middle 

 of the upper edge of the nostril, is slender, but extends in the form of a rounded point to the 

 under margin of the nostril, and is not sharply divided from the inner valve, which extends more or less 

 widely inwards. Spiracles and eyes approximating, both surrounded by a thick wall of skin : the upper 

 eyelid has a central projection. The fore-lateral edge of the disk is twice gently incurved. 



* RHINOBATUS OBTUSUS. 



Rhinobatus obtusus, Mull. & Henle, Plag. 122 ; Gray, Catal. Brit. Mus. p. 97; Blyth, 

 Joum. Asiatic Soc. xxix. p. 37 ; Dumevil, Ich. gen. i. p. 493. 



The disk is from ^ to \ longer than wide, and is rather more than \ of the total length. 



Snout short, blunt, and rounded ; its length — from the middle of a line passing before the 

 nostrils, from one external angle to the other— is equal to the space which this line measures. 

 From the anterior margin of the eyes it is two and a half times longer than is the interorbital 

 space. Keel on the snout (seen from above) is three times longer than wide at its base ; it is 

 narrowed in its central portion, and has a well marked groove behind, scarcely perceptible in its 

 middle, but reappearing towards its anterior extremity. The distance between the nostrils is less 

 than that which separates them from the border of the disk, but similar to the width of their 

 opening. A prolongation or rather strong fold of skin exists at the posterior part of the air-hole. 



Scales — Are in the form of an ace of spades, with a very dull point directed backwards ; many 

 are covered with an enamel-like substance, which causes its lateral grooves to appear dotted with 



